The No. 18-ranked Troy Trojans (26-11, 10-5) won two straight games this weekend to secure a Sun Belt Conference series win over the James Madison Dukes (12-24, 5-10) on the road. 

Troy started the weekend off with a frustrating 7-3 loss to JMU in the series opener on April 11. Troy struggled at the plate, managing just four total hits and two walks. Sean Darnell hit a double and drove in one run, while also scoring one run. Houston Markham also hit a triple and drove in one run and scored one run.

Garrett Gainous (5-1) took his first loss on the mound this season, striking out four batters and giving up eight hits and six earned runs in four and 1/3 innings pitched. Blake Cavill tallied 10 putouts with no fielding errors on defense.

Troy responded with a 6-3 victory over JMU in game two on April 12. Cavill had a big game at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs. Gavin Schrader also went 3-for-4 with two runs. 

Noah Edders (4-0) pitched seven innings and struck out four, while giving up five hits and two earned runs. Cavil also earned 10 putouts and one assist with no errors. 

Troy captured the series win with a 4-0 shutout over JMU on April 13. A big third inning catapulted Troy to the win as the Trojans scored three runs in the top of the third on walks or hit by pitches. 

Markham went 2-for-3 with two runs, while Jimmy Janicki went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Colby Frieda (2-0) earned the win on the mound, striking out four batters and giving up three hits and no runs in four innings pitched. Jay Dill also pitched four innings and fanned three batters, while giving up one hit and no runs. Luke Lyon earned his first save of the season, giving up no hits or runs in 2/3 of an inning. Cavill tallied five putouts, one assist and one double play with no errors.

“Dill giving us four of shutout was great. Frieda was tremendous,” Troy Coach Skylar Meade said. “I thought he was really nasty – just the way the ball came out of the hand. The full repertoire was one display. Stew came in and attacked the zone, just had a few pitches he didn’t execute. You have to trust your gut sometimes. 

“(Stewarts’) been such a guy for us this year. The numbers speak for themselves, and what he’s done historically. But we said hey, we need to pass it on. Luke has been coming. He’s been getting better and better. He’s been working hard and I think he rewarded us.”

Troy shortstop Jakob Wax also earned some national notoriety when his eye-popping leaping catch in the win on Sunday made Sportscenter’s Top 10 as the No. 1 play. Wax tracked a fly ball into the outfield and seemed to overrun it a bit, but still managed to leap up into the air and reach back to snatch the ball before slamming to the turf.  

Troy has now played five conference series and has claimed series wins in all of them. Troy now sits in second place of the conference with a 10-5 conference record compared to Coastal Carolina’s 11-4 Sun Belt record. 

Troy returns home this weekend for a conference series against ULM April 17-19.